Saquon Barkley tale spotlights Rams legendary RB Steven Jackson's wasted talents

There is a lot to be said about how the LA Rams struggled to stop the thunderous running of Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. The Rams faced him twice, but seemed paralyzed whenever he got up a head of steam. While the Rams had offensive chances to win the game, I would be remiss to give the defense a pass at that effort.

The Rams defense was not alone in struggling to slow down Barkley. In four playoff games, he put up 499 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, 17 rushing first downs, while also catching 13 of 15 passes for 75 more yards and three receiving first downs. In a nutshell, Barkley is the reason the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX. Actually, he is the reason that the Eagles got that far in the first place.

But he is not the first superhero at running back. In fact, considering that the Rams used to be led by Head Coach "Ground' Chuck Knox, you can expect to find plenty of elite rushers throughout the history of the Rams franchise.,

Second chances could have changed Steven Jackson's career trajectory

The Rams have a history of strong and potent running backs. But perhaps none has been done such a disservice as former Saint Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson. Whether you want to discuss the Top 15, Top 10, or Top 5 running backs of all time in Rams history, you will eventually find yourself reading about the mighty Steven Jackson. Unfortunately, unlike Eric Dickerson or Marshall Faulk, Jackson did not play for the Rams when the Rams were winning. In fact, Jackson struggled to get the team to finish an NFL season at .500.

And that is much like the career of RB Saquon Barkley before landing with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Second chances for NFL players are rare. Because elite players command high salaries, teams that are NFL contenders frequently find themselves struggling to pay their existing roster, let alone add new talent. But if a team had the chance to trade for (or sign as a free agent) three-time Pro Bowler Steve Jackson, it would have altered his career permanently.

Had Jackson found his way to the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, or Indianapolis Colts in his day, the fact that he appeared in a Super Bowl would have been enough to add polish to his illustrious career. But that never happened. Jackson suited up in The Horns from 2004 through 2012, churning out over 10000 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns for the Rams before playing two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and one final season with the New England Patriots.

Was he as good then as Saquon Barkley is now? It's impossible to argue the apples to oranges comparison. But Steven Jackson ran with authority, oftentimes against a defense that stacked the box against him. Despite defenses knowing that 'Action' Jackson was the Rams primary offensive weapon, he continued to chug along.

Saquon Barkley may be the toast of the NFL right now. But he may have fared no better than Steven Jackson had he not landed with the Philadelphia Eagles. And that is something that cannot be changed, but certainly does put a unique perspective on the 2024 NFL season.

As always, thanks for reading.

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